Passing Out at the Speed of Sound
by basialynn
Summary: SatAM/Archie Comics-verse. Five times Sonic the Hedgehog couldn't outrun his injuries, to the worry and amusement of those around him.
1. Chapter 1

Inspired by a scene from Sonic X, where Sonic has been injured in battle but keeps going and acts completely normal up until the point he suddenly passes out cold. I thought I'd explore him having that same tendency in a mashup Satam/comics world.

* * *

Sonic the Hedgehog rarely stopped for a breather, but he did so now. Panting lightly, he pressed himself closer to the shadows of the little alcove he had found. He didn't dare sit down, as he needed to be able to sprint away at a half-second's notice, but he did allow himself to lean back slightly against the hard wall behind.

Something brushed against his cheek and he swiped at it without a thought. Only when he felt the same spot begin to sting did he realize he had wiped away fresh blood. Sometime earlier, his cheek had been grazed by something sharp; much like a few other places on his body.

Now that he had stopped moving, Sonic began to really feel those other places where cuts and bruises decorated his blue fur. His legs had just started to ache from their constant state of tension, and even the grime was starting to bother a little. Still, as he thought of what he had accomplished, he smirked and felt a thrill of pride.

Tonight was the farthest he'd ever gone into the nightmare of a city that was Robotropolis.

'Wasteland' was a more accurate term for the place, for it was nothing but oil-saturated dirt, writhing plumes of smoke, and dangerous metal - both in the forms of the dark, hulking factories and the countless death squads of SWATbots that shot at anything alive - and he had managed to venture nearly into the heart of it, from what he could tell. Not too bad for a thirteen year-old hedgehog on his own, armed only with the incredible speed he was still testing and learning the limits of.

That speed was exactly why he was here, scouting the terrain.

Robotnik wasn't going away anytime soon, and Sonic and his friends were getting older and would soon be able to do something about it. They were a pretty small group, and not a fully trained army or anything, but striking fast and hard at the tyrant's base of operations would even the score. To do that, they needed a functional map of Robotropolis.

So the young hedgehog had been making short trips to the city, keeping all that he saw in his head until later when he could sketch it out onto some parchment. He'd roughly note the placement of any factories or reactors he came across, and Rotor (who had a steadier hand and much nicer handwriting) would add the information to the master map they kept in Sally's quarters.

No matter what Sally and Rosie said, Sonic knew this was way too important to put off and he was the only one who could do it. It wasn't too dangerous. He could handle it.

In fact, he'd been handling it for over three hours now, making his way mostly unseen (stealth didn't come naturally to him, but he'd been working on it). Those unlucky SWATbots that caught sight of him were left in pieces in his wake, for Sonic had spun and sliced through each and every one before they could get an alert out to their robotic brethren. His chances were going to run out soon, Sonic knew, but a quick rest to recharge was needed for the way back to the forest.

Though he'd almost been expecting it, Sonic's heart still leapt in his throat when a robotic voice broke the silence.

"Lifeform detected," droned a SWATbot from up and behind Sonic's hiding place. "Priority One: Hedgehog."

"And I was just starting to feel lonely!" Sonic quipped. He dashed out from the alcove to find a 'bot already raising his arm, targeting.

Sonic's feet had almost left the ground in a leap toward the SWATbot when a laser suddenly shot across his right arm, close enough to burn.

"Augh!" he cried, gripping the wounded area hard in an effort to dampen the pain. A quick glance to the side showed that a trio of SWATbots had arrived unannounced. They marched forward, weapons trained on him. In retrospect, he shouldn't have chosen a place with a surrounding embankment he couldn't easily see over, but he had really needed that rest.

The first SWATbot was now speaking over his communications line. "Alert. All Units. Priority One detected in sector R-181 - " His monotone fizzled out as Sonic spun and cut through his neck, severing the domed head from the bulky body. Before the pieces even hit the ground, Sonic was spinning and cutting the others down in turn, dodging lasers in between.

A siren began to sound faintly in the distance.

"That's my cue," Sonic muttered under his breath, before he revved up and sped towards the outskirts of the city.

Now that every nearby 'bot had been alerted to his presence, getting through Robotropolis would be a lot harder this time around. Not impossible, though. He'd get back to Knothole for sure - there was no way he was going to let this groundbreaking trip go to waste.

Sonic spotted a mass of SWATbots up ahead and steadily getting closer. Looking around quickly, he also spotted some old junk parts nearby, piled gradually higher but also conveniently flattened on top. Running up the makeshift ramp, Sonic pushed off with all the strength in his legs and sailed clear over the SWATbots. He turned around in midair to give them a cheeky wave.

Sure, the botheads now knew he was here, but he no longer had the need to creep around.

Sonic landed, avoiding the shower of laserfire that followed. He couldn't help but grin as he ran. Increased danger, but an opportunity to cut loose? Sounded fair, to him.

* * *

Sally Acorn rarely allowed herself to panic, but she felt like doing so now.

The young squirrel princess wanted to wring her hands together, or worry the edges of her blue vest, or even chew a fingernail - but these outward signs of distress wouldn't have been proper. So, in front of the large haystack positioned at the secret entrance of Knothole, she paced and tried to ignore the knot of apprehension tightening around her.

Eventually she gave in and turned to her close friend, the tan-furred young rabbit sat on a stump close by. "How long has it been, Bunnie?"

Both of Bunnie's legs and left arm, roboticized long ago, glinted with reflected moonlight. One of her long ears perked upwards at Sally's question. "How long since the sugah-hog left for the city without tellin' us, or how long since you last asked me?"

There was just a hint of annoyance in her tone and Sally picked up on it, sighing. "I'm sorry. I know. I just..."

Bunnie shook her head. "No need to apologize, Sally-girl. All this waitin' sure ain't doin' us any favors."

Sally crossed her arms, holding onto her elbows. "I don't know why I asked, anyway. I already know it's been far too long. If Nicole hadn't intercepted that alert from Robotropolis, we wouldn't have even known he was there, and that was an hour ago..." She tried not to look forlorn as she gazed at the entrance, thoughts of what could be delaying Sonic flitting through her mind's eye.

"He eez once again acting ze foolish," spoke up Antoine from where he sat leaning against a tree. The coyote in a Royal Guardsman uniform was wiping down his sword with a polishing cloth as they waited. "Venturing out all ze lones, and making ze preencess sick with worry eez simply unforgivable!" The usual disdain in his voice was clear, despite his thick accent.

Just then a sound from the oak slide caught their attention, nearly at the same second Sonic came hurtling down and landed in the giant haystack.

"Sonic!" Sally cried. She hurried over, Bunnie and Antoine following, just as Sonic sprang to his feet to greet them.

It wasn't until he stood up fully that she got a good look at him, and couldn't stop the gasp that left her mouth.

Sonic looked terrible - in the worst shape she'd ever seen him, in fact. He was covered in scratches and spots of oil and dirt. Though he held his normal, easy stance, he was pressing a hand over his right shoulder, covering up what looked like a laser wound. It had bled a little, staining his arm and glove. There were streaks of red on his leg and the side of his face.

"Are you alright?" asked Sally. Her hands fluttered near Sonic but didn't touch; she didn't even know where to start tending to the wounded hedgehog.

"Never better, Sal," said Sonic, shrugging his good shoulder. "Miss me?"

"Sonic, you -" Sally broke off, shaking her head (in amazement or frustration, she wasn't sure). As she often did when dealing with the Sonic the Hedgehog, Sally felt swept along by a myriad of emotions; namely, the urge to both hug him tightly in relief and never let go and strangle him at the same time. But before she could do either, Bunnie was speaking.

"Mah stars! What all did ya get your lil' self into out there?"

Sonic grinned. "About twenty-two SWATbutt hides, that's what!"

Sally felt her mouth drop open in shock, and in her peripheral vision saw that Bunnie's and Antoine's had done the same.

Sonic had long ago learned how to curl up into a ball that, combined with his super speed, could unleash a staggering amount of concussive force. In the last year or so he'd also discovered that by spinning fast enough and hardening his quills, he could achieve the same effect as a buzzsaw. However, Sally knew that he had cut through far more straw training dummies than SWATbots. To hear that he had taken on so many...

"And those were just the ones that spotted me!" Sonic continued. "The others - you shoulda seen it, those stealth exercises we've all been doing are really startin' to pay off - I got past 'em like nothing! They didn't even know I was sneakin' by!

"I got really far, too. Had to turn back eventually, but even then I was unstoppable, like - it was just -" Unable to fully convey his exhiliration with words, Sonic let go of his arm for a moment to pump a fist in the air and whoop loudly. Then he promptly winced and resettled his grip.

By now, Sally's conflicting emotions had done battle and one had emerged the clear victor.

"Sonic Hedgehog," she began in a low voice, "Are you telling me you ran off to Robotropolis, broke the no-solo rule and worried us all half to death, just because you felt like getting in a little target practice?"

Sonic managed to smile brightly despite the blood and grime smeared on his face. "You were worried about me?"

When Sally's only response was to plant her fists upon her hips and frown deeply, Sonic relented.

"Okay, okay! No, that wasn't why I went." He looked aside slightly. "I thought I'd run to blow off some steam and just ended up there, I guess. A SWATbot was out there patrolling closer than usual, so I took him down and thought I'd check it out, see if anything was going on. And, uh...just kept going from there."

"So you didn't set out to deliberately disobey my orders. You just did so anyway because it was convenient and fit nicely with whatever you felt like doing?"

Now fully aware that Sally was far more angered by than appreciative of his exploits, Sonic braced himself to argue his side.

"Look, I know it was a little stupid. But we _need_ that map, Sal. I know it, you know it. Everybody knows it, they just aren't comfortable with the risks involved." Sonic pointed at his chest with his thumb. "Well, _I_ can handle those risks, Sal. I made it almost halfway, and I can do it again, no prob!"

Sally folded her arms. "You may have gained valuable information, yes. But blatantly disbobeying my orders? Completely disregarding your safety and the safety of those who would have gone in after you if something went wrong?" Her eyes became softer, almost plaintive for just a moment. "We've talked about this, Sonic! If we're going to make this work, we need to function as a team. And Rosie and I and the majority of the others already agreed - scouting missions are simply an unneccessary risk at the moment!"

Sonic opened his mouth to reply but was interrupted by Antoine, who spoke up haughtily. "And eef you were so - how did you say? - nonstoppable, just why do you look like the swiss cheeses, hm?"

"Ha! This? Nothing a little beauty sleep won't fix." Sonic added, smugly, "Not that you'd know what that is, Ant."

But Antoine wasn't going to let Sonic off so easily, not when he could take advantage of Princess Sally's clear displeasure with the hedgehog.

"You can boast all you want, but as usually, your recklessness has accompleeshed more harm than good!"

Sonic bristled now. "At least I got the guts to try and get something done! When's the last time that glorified toothpick of yours saw any action?"

Caught up in their antagonism, the two males had subconsciously moved closer and Bunnie stepped between them now.

"Now, reel it in, you two. Y'all are supposed to be catchin' the baddies on your hooks, not each other."

Sally took a deep breath. Yes, she was still angry and frustrated with Sonic's inability to follow orders, but pressing the issue could wait until they all had gotten some much needed rest.

"Bunnie's right," she said decisively. "We can't forget that we're all on the same side here, and bickering won't change anything that's already said and done. Besides, it's getting late, and we can work this out tomorrow."

She met Sonic's eyes. "Do you think you can make it to the clinic? I'd like you to at least get that arm wound looked at for now."

Bunnie drew closer to the hedgehog to offer her shoulder as a support, and Sonic stopped clutching at his wounded shoulder to wave her away, making a face.

"Like I said, guys, this is no biggie." He confidently stepped forward as he spoke. "I'll be - "

He didn't finish, as without any warning, his eyes suddenly slipped closed and he fell backwards to the ground.

For the second time in the span of twenty minutes, Sally cried out "Sonic!" and felt panic stirring. She quickly knelt and pressed her fingers underneath the cuff of his glove, searching for his pulse. It was there, quick and steady.

"Just unconscious," she breathed. She could only hope that he had passed out from over-exerting himself, and not because of anything life-threatening like internal injuries. "Guys -"

She needn't have prompted them; despite his earlier harsh words, Antoine bent down without hesitation and slipped his arm beneath one of Sonic's own, as on the hedgehog's other side Bunnie did the same. Together they carried their friend back to the village, where an overnight stay in Dr. Quack's care seemed to be in order.

As they made their way, the princess fought to keep from recalling the hollow rush of fear she had felt when Sonic suddenly toppled over. Sonic did most things with incredible speed, she mused. She hadn't thought that extended to losing consciousness as well. Sally was cheered slightly at the thought of teasing him about it when he came to.


	2. Chapter 2

Thank you, any readers out there! And thank you so much to those who took the time to review.

I forgot to mention this in the last chapter: the "Sonic maps out Robotropolis" thing was inspired by him doing the same in Skyblaze's fic, Hold On. I loved that idea so much (and the fic too of course!) that it's become part of my headcanon as well.

Approximate timeline in terms of the comics:

Chapter 1: A few years before the comics start

This Chapter: Early part of the first 25 comic issues

More notes at the bottom!

* * *

"Urp!" Rotor swallowed, trying to keep his lunch in his stomach where it belonged.

He didn't do well at high speeds.

The sky, ground, and surrounding trees had all blurred together, making him feel dizzy and weightless. Equally disorienting was the loud, continuous whooshing in his ears.

Rotor shut his eyes tightly. He didn't often have the pleasure of being toted along by their resident supersonic hedgehog, but he was rapidly discovering that keeping his eyes closed was the way to go.

Sonic was stronger than his lean limbs suggested, but even he couldn't carry heavier Mobians while he ran any great distance. This meant that Rotor could only hold on to Sonic for dear life as his own body was nearly airborne, whipped about as if he were just a streamer in the wind. With his free hand Rotor valiantly kept a grip on his favorite yellow hat, and with all of his being he desperately hoped they reached their destination soon.

Thankfully, he and Sonic soon came to a stop on the outskirts of the Great Forest, at the tip of a great bluff overlooking some flatland.

As Rotor resettled his cap and recovered his balance, Sonic went to the edge and crouched down. Shrugging off his field backpack, he pulled out a pair of binoculars and used them to get a better look at something in the distance below.

"Well," said Sonic after a moment. "Good news is those sensors you installed are definitely not malfunctioning. The bad news?" He looked back at Rotor. "I don't think that thing's delivering a pizza."

Rotor joined him at the bluff's edge and looked down. The terrain was grassy, pockmarked by the occassional rocky outcropping and shrub. With the clear blue sky as a backdrop and a slight breeze, the scene could have been idyllic - were it not for the presence of the giant, lumbering robot he and Sonic had been sent to intercept.

Constructed of glinting red metal, the bot featured a small, rotating head unit sat upon an armless torso and jointed, mechanized legs. The torso was so large that a handful of Robotnik's hoverpods could have fit inside, the shape so rounded that the effect was almost comical. It didn't seem to be a particularly fast model, judging by the way it moved, but was still very tall and would tower over any normal-sized Mobian.

Rotor took the offered binoculars. "It's been a while since the last one," he murmured thoughtfully, adjusting the lenses.

The Freedom Fighters had long been aware that Robotnik knew of Knothole's general location. The fact that he didn't often exploit that knowledge was no comfort at all, because the few direct attacks to date had been carried out by his most formidable creations. With not only the survival of the resistance but the continuation of the royal line at stake, the Freedom Fighters had no choice but to develop certain protocols - namely a three-line defense system - in the event of a frontal assault on their home.

Because their combat-ready forces numbered so little, they could only spare a two-member team for each line of defense. Each team consisted of one fighter and one other to act as technical or command support.

The first line of defense was charged with scouting and engaging the threat. The secondary defense team, along with traps built into the surrounding forest, would hopefully increase the odds of stopping any threat before it reached Knothole. The main priority of the third and final defense team was the evacuation of survivors.

Of course, Sonic's unique set of skills allowed for other opportunities - including something special for particularly unfavorable circumstances - but the three-line defense system hadn't failed them yet, and remained in place.

So when Rotor's new perimeter sensors sent out the alert, Sonic had reported to the front line with Rotor in tow as Sally and Bunnie stayed behind to protect the village along with the others.

Rotor had just zoomed in to view the strange, circular indentions on the robot's middle, when Sally's voice suddenly spoke through the communicator on his wrist.

"All teams are in place, guys. Special deilivery on standby. What exactly are we dealing with out there?"

"Eh," Sonic said helpfully, eyeing the robot with disapproval. "I've taken down way taller."

Before Sally could scold Sonic for being so flippant (and for disregarding her request), said hedgehog had already sped off down the cliffside and towards the clearing.

"Er..." said Rotor.

Sally's voice was supremely unamused. "He's engaging the robot without a plan, again, isn't he?"

"Pretty much," Rotor admitted, before proceeding to provide Sally with the robot's observable details.

Sonic, meanwhile, zipped over to stand directly in front of the robot, giving it a little time to register his presence and transmit his image back to Robotropolis. He knew the thing was wired for audio and visual, as Robotnik was big on the whole armchair villainy thing.

Sonic made a knocking motion with his hand and said loudly, "Yo, 'Buttnik! Ya home?"

Just as expected, Robotnik's voice could be heard from a speaker somewhere on the bot's body, sounding a little tinny but just as sinister as usual.

"Ah, just the little rodent I was hoping to exterminate. Impressed by my newest creation?"

Sonic shrugged. "It's big, but kinda boring. And a little too wide around the middle, sorta like -"

"Silence!" Robotnik interrupted furiously.

"And what's with the no arms?" continued Sonic. "Trying to make my job easier than it already is?"

Sonic may have been more likely to think with his feet rather than his head, but he was no simpleton. He knew the robot's strange design meant it was definitely hiding something worth worrying about, and goading the evil doctor was the fastest way to find out what.

Sure enough, Robotnik took the bait.

"Oh, quite the opposite, hedgehog. Many times over, in fact. Allow it to demonstrate!"

Sonic tensed, about to drop into a ready stance, when he heard Rotor suddenly call out.

"Sonic!"

Sonic turned to see the walrus sliding down the side of the bluff and heading towards him, looking panicked.

"Watch out, Sally said those ports -"

Before Rotor could finish, a swift metallic clank was heard as one of the ports opened up.

Sonic and Rotor watched in growing alarm as a thick metal arm began to extend outward, segment by segment. It was more like a tentacle, bending and curving as it rose into the air. It very quickly reached hundreds of feet above them, and then they could no longer track it because they were too busy diving for cover as it smashed downwards.

Robotnik's voice boomed into the air as the dust cleared. "Behold, my Tentabot! It will advance, extending its tentacle arms through the ground. One of them is bound to run through that base of yours which has eluded me for so long, and destroy that wretched forest in the process!" He dissolved into echoing laughter.

Sonic and Rotor clambered to their feet and moved quickly to get some distance between the robot and themselves.

"This is bad," said Rotor. "The reach on that thing is - at this rate -" He didn't have to finish, as the apprehension was clear on his face.

"Not gonna happen," Sonic said resolutely. He wasn't wearing a communicator of his own, as each defense team had only been alotted one each, but he reached for Rotor's wrist and brought the communicator up to his face. He spoke quickly into it. "Sorry for running off earlier, Sal, but it looks like we're gonna need that special delivery, pronto!"

Rotor stayed back as Sonic sped towards the Tentabot, which seemed to be making good on Robotnik's threat.

The arm shot forward violently into the ground, sending rocks and chunks of dirt flying outward. Then a second tentacle on the opposite side began the same extension process as the first, each segment clinking into place as it emerged and grew longer.

Sonic could see now that the many slots all over the Tentabot's body meant they would soon have many more problems to deal with, just as Robotnik promised.

Sonic jumped into a spin and hurled himself at the robot, hoping to quickly cut through the embedded arm before the new one extended fully. But whatever the appendage was made of, it was more durable and Sonic-proof than any of Robotnik's creations so far.

"Gah!" Sonic shouted as he bounced off. He barely had the chance to uncurl from his spin before the second tentacle came flying towards him, effectively swatting him out of the air.

Rotor watched helplessly as Sonic landed hard and bounced back up with the impact, taking a worrying amount of force to his back and head. Sonic seemed stunned by the hit; he was slow to sit up and stumbled as he got to his feet, clutching a hand to his head.

Those few moments as Sonic staggered left him completely unguarded, and that same tentacle reared back for another strike.

Before he even realized what his legs were doing, Rotor was running towards the towering robot, waving his arms in what he hoped was a distracting enough manner.

"H-Hey! Over here!" he shouted. Not very creative (taunting the enemy usually fell under Sonic's line of work, not his) but his effort seemed to have gotten the job done. The robot turned towards Rotor and prepared to lash out again.

Rotor gulped but stood his ground, determined. He may not have been gifted with any extraordinary physical abilities, but he was still a Freedom Fighter, and also a walrus with a respectable amount of sheer arm strength.

Grabbing the thickest wrench in his toolbelt, Rotor swung it hard in what he hoped was the right direction and timing. With a resounding clang, the force of the blow pushed the tentacle just far enough away but also sent Rotor tumbling backwards.

Now on the ground with no chance of dodging the arm that would be swinging back down at any moment, Rotor covered his head and braced himself. He hoped he had bought Sonic enough time to recover.

Something suddenly barreled into him at breakneck speed and then he was hurtling sideways, away from where the tentacle had just slammed down.

Sonic had been that high-speed something, and the two of them tumbled over one another as their momentum ran its course. They ended up far enough away from the Tentabot that they weren't in immediate danger, and they hunkered down behind a cluster of rocks and shrubs.

"Thanks for the save," Rotor managed, voice a little warbled. He _really_ didn't do well at high speeds.

Sonic smiled, steadying his larger friend. "Back atcha, Rote. I appreciate the help, but I'm gonna need you to lay low. No offense."

"Uh, none taken," said Rotor. He was still trying to blink the stars out of his eyes, wondering how Sonic could've taken worse direct hits to his body and head and still _move_ , much less talk and smile.

"Cool," said Sonic. "Hang tight and let me know when the ol' calvary arrives!"

A quick thumbs up and Sonic was speeding off to engage the Tentabot once more.

As Rotor watched, the situation grew increasingly helpless. They couldn't overpower the robot, which was growing harder to defeat by the minute, and without a way to incapacitate the arms or get past them to destroy the main body, Sonic was fighting a losing battle. Yet they couldn't just retreat in the face of such an active and direct threat to Knothole.

Rotor hailed the village on the communicator. "Things aren't going so well on our end...how's that delivery coming?"

Sally responded quickly. "ETA is twenty minutes. How is Sonic?"

Rotor hesitated. He knew (as they all did) that Sally and Sonic shared a special connection of sorts. Though the two were similar in many ways, their differences were so stark that most interactions between them were filled with tension - a tension that had evolved into the romantic kind in recent years. Rotor wanted to spare her the worry over Sonic, who was very likely injured at this point, but at the same time knew that she would only want the truth.

"He...He's getting battered out there, Sally."

The extra pause before Sally spoke was the only indication she had been affected by Rotor's words. "He'll be there soon, Rotor. Tell Sonic to hang on."

 _He?_ Rotor thought. _Antoine wouldn't leave the princess, and couldn't move that fast anyway. But that would mean..._

Before Rotor could think more on it, Sonic was hurtling through the sky, having been caught again by one of those monstrous tentacles. He hit the ground on his side and skidded roughly, stopping just yards away from Rotor.

"Sonic!" Rotor rushed over, helping the hedgehog get to his feet. He noted the bruises already starting to show on the lighter peach fur of his friend's arms and chest. "You can't keep taking hits like this!"

Sonic gave his head a hard shake and rolled his shoulders, without even a glance at Rotor. His attention was entirely on the Tentabot which was now lurching forward, having already retracted the first arm from the ground. The second arm plowed farther than the first, sending up another spray of rock and greenery. A telltale clinking sound indicated a third arm was making its debut.

"If it's attacking me, that's one less arm shooting towards Knothole!" Sonic grit out. Then he was speeding away once more, and Rotor had to hold tightly onto his cap to keep the resulting rush of wind from tugging it away.

He could only hope that the help from their friends arrived faster than soon.

* * *

Tails' namesakes were spinning furiously, propelling him through the Great Forest at high speed.

He'd been getting faster - a little downtime meant Sonic could take him for more training runs - and sometimes he liked to imagine himself able to keep pace with his hero, soaring at Sonic's side as they adventured through Zones of all types and foiled the evil tyrant's plots. But this was no time for daydreams. Robotnik was attacking and Tails was charged with one mission: deliver a pack filled with Rings and Chaos Emeralds to Sonic so he could transform into Super Sonic.

Tails had often listened in fascination as the other Freedom Fighters told stories about Sonic's amazing new form; how the hero had somehow harnessed the energies inside the many Emeralds of their world and turned into a super-powered version of himself. Now it seemed that Tails would get a chance to see this transformation in person.

 _There won't be much of a chance if I don't get there in time!_ Tails thought grimly. With a grunt of determination, he pushed himself harder.

The coordinates Sally had programmed into his communicator brought him near Sonic and Rotor's last known location. Sure enough, the sounds of battle reached his ears as he drew closer: clanging metal, booming thuds and the unmistakable, high-pitched whine that meant Sonic was dashing about.

Tails was so focused on reaching his friends that he almost overshot the cliff's edge. With a cry, he dug his heels in and skidded to a stop. He couldn't just barrel onto the battlefield and put the special delivery at risk; he needed to assess the situation first just like Sally always told him. He scrambled behind some foliage and peered down at the clearing, trying to catch his breath.

One of Robotnik's giant creations was stomping its way nearly past the edge of the forest, and Sonic was running full-tilt to avoid the reach of its tentacles. Rotor was nowhere in sight, but Tails hoped the walrus had found a safe vantage point.

Closely observing the battle below, Tails could see that one tentacle always remained on the attack while the others burrowed towards Knothole. They were alarmingly fast despite their length and size, and - judging by the number of ports on the round torso - many more were just waiting to emerge and complicate matters.

Tails watched as Sonic dodged one tentacle and then jumped onto another that was already embedded into the ground. Running along its length, Sonic was clearly was going for a shot at slicing through the bot's wide torso. The risky move didn't pay off, however, as he was viciously batted away before he even got close.

Tails couldn't help but wince at the sight, clenching his fists. He just had to get down there! But he had to be smart about it. If even Sonic couldn't avoid them, Tails figured his own chance of getting through would be non-existent.

Despite the hit, Sonic recovered and sped out of hitting range. That was when Tails noticed - whenever Sonic ran too far out of their reach, all four tentacles dug into the ground to take advantage of the reprieve. This left about thirty seconds before one of them re-emerged.

Tails shifted into a ready position, knowing his best bet would be to wait for another one of those instances.

A few more minutes of waiting, tails flicking anxiously, and the moment came. Tails took a deep breath and leapt over the edge, flying swiftly down to the clearing with his fists thrust out before him. "Sonic, here!" he called out.

Without slowing down, Sonic quickly looked over and smiled in genuine relief. "Tails!"

With all the strength he could muster, Tails swung the bag in Sonic's direction and let it loose.

Sonic swerved expertly to change course for the bag, catching it with one hand. He flashed a grin at the fox. "Thanks, buddy! I'll take it from here!" In a blur of movement, he spun quickly to gain momentum before pitching the bag high up into the air. With a few running steps he jumped towards it, spinning into a ball.

His quills tore through the bag and absorbed the Rings on contact. Out spilled the Emeralds, each one large, faceted and deep green. They didn't fall to the ground but caught strangely in midair, and quicker than a blink had surrounded Sonic. Their power seemed to hold him up in the air as well; he had uncurled from his spin and was now floating as though it were the most natural thing in the world. The gems began to quickly spin an orbit around him. Just as they reached a feverish speed, Sonic closed his eyes, a look of serene concentration on his face.

Tails had just an instant to shield his eyes as a burst of yellow light surrounded Sonic.

Blinking rapidly, Tails wondered if his eyes had been damaged by the flash, because there seemed to be a different hedgehog in his best friend's place. Formerly blue fur was now bright gold, with spiky quills of the same color now upturned instead of swept back. Only the familiar smirk and determination in his (now inexplicably red) eyes indicated that this radiant being and the beloved hero were one and the same.

Tails had never seen anything like it, and his thoughts struggled to turn themeselves into words. "He's...? But what did he - This is - "

There was a chuckle from beside him. Rotor had skirted the battlefield and hurried over to Tails, who was still gaping up at Sonic in his new form.

"That's right, I forgot you haven't seen him like this before," said Rotor. He looked back to Sonic, the amusement in his voice now something like fond reverence. "Tails, meet Super Sonic."

Sonic glanced at his two friends below and his smirk widened, and then he was flying off towards the huge bot.

"Noooo!" bellowed Robotinik. Having witnessed Sonic's entire transformation, he now realized that his precious Tentabot was in danger of being turned into scrap metal.

Sonic didn't attack the giant bot so much as he seemed to pass through it; mere contact with his form damaged the thick metal hide, and his spinning jumps nearly shredded the previously indestructable tentacles. He did all this at such incredible speed that a trio of afterimages followed behind wherever he went, and the very air around him shimmered with yellow and white sparks. If Sonic was normally a blue blur, Super Sonic was a flash of golden light.

With Tentabot now lying in pieces, Sonic soared gracefully over to Tails and Rotor. He hovered there in the sky above them like a minature sun.

The question came out before Tails could stop it. "It's...It's really you, right Sonic?"

The yellow hedgehog tilted his head and looked at him blankly. Tails didn't see any recognition in those red eyes. Did this form affect Sonic's memories somehow? Or was he really a different person, like this?

A wave of uncertainty washed over Tails and he was just about to give in to the urge to step back, when Sonic suddenly grinned.

"I'm just kidding, bud! 'Course it's really me!" Sonic spun in the air with a flourish and then winked. "You know any other hedgehogs who achieve the impossible on a daily basis?"

Feeling his heart immediately lighten, Tails couldn't help but smile. Adopting a mock-thoughful tone, he said, "Well, I dunno. Uncle Chuck managed to put up with you as a kid, not to mention now..."

Sonic's eyes widened before he burst into laughter. "Why, you little -" he said playfully, just before swooping down. He circled Tails a dozen times in about three seconds, creating a small, tornado-like effect that drew Tails upward.

Buffeted by the gentle wind and immersed in the trail of golden sparkles, Tails let out a giggle. He felt like a tiny kit again, playing in the rush of air that Sonic's speed created or riding on Sonic's shoulders as they raced the sunset back to the village.

As his feet touched ground again, Sonic alighted next to him. The golden sheen had already started to fade from Sonic's fur. In just moments it was completely gone, revealing the familiar cobalt blue. One blink returned his eyes to their normal color.

Those bright green eyes shone with pride as Sonic looked at Tails.

"But seriously, Tails, you were the real hero today. If you hadn't raced over here in time, I don't know how we were ever gonna stop that thing."

Tails was proud of himself as well, but still shuffled his feet bashfully. "I'm sure you would've figured something out, Sonic. You always do."

"That was an awfully close one, though," said Rotor, rubbing at the back of his neck. "Robotnik sure hasn't been slacking in the design department."

Sonic shrugged. "Yeah, well we showed him. I doubt the lesson will stick, but I'd be happy to teach it to him again!" He pounded a fist into his palm for emphasis, grinning.

"Yeah!" Tails agreed happily.

They lingered a few minutes more as Rotor checked in with Sally, letting her know that Tentabot had been destroyed and they were all safe. As he finished up, Sonic and Tails conducted a quick patrol of the area in case Robotnik had left any lesser bots behind. The trio were soon prepared to make the trek back to Knothole.

Tails had just meant to ask Rotor whether he wanted to salvage any parts before they left, when a sound from Sonic made him stop short. He turned around just in time to see Sonic collapse to the ground.

"Sonic! Are you okay? Sonic!"

Tails was at the blue hedgehog's side in an instant. He frantically searched for any serious wounds they might have missed, but aside from minor scratches and some dirt in his quills, Sonic looked just fine. He gently shook Sonic's shoulder, but there was still no response.

Rotor had knelt and given Sonic a once-over as well, but sat back on his haunches after a few moments.

"He's okay, I think. This happened last time. He's just - look." He put an arm out in front of Tails, encouraging the young fox to lean back a little and observe.

Sure enough, Tails saw that Sonic's face was relaxed and his chest rose and fell steadily with measured breaths. Somehow, in just a few seconds, Sonic had slipped into a deep and rouseless sleep.

"The Super form takes a lot out of a guy," said Rotor, smiling ruefully. "Especially taking so much damage beforehand, and running on the minimum amount of Rings." He turned to give Tails a reassuring look. "His body just needs to recharge a little. He'll be up and at it again in no time, you'll see."

Tails nodded, still feeling a little shaky.

"H-How long has Sonic been able to do this, anyway?" he asked. He couldn't remember just when the tales had started to make the rounds of the mess hall.

Rotor scratched absently at his cheek as he thought. "I'm not sure. He's transformed a couple times already, but I think the first time was on his own."

Tails fell silent as he digested this information, his mind quickly working through the implications and questions they raised. What if Robotnik could unlock that power from the Emeralds as well? What would the madman be willing to do to obtain that power? And under what circumstances did Sonic first transform? What other abilities did the Super form hold? Sonic had apparently turned into Super Sonic a few times before, and Tails hadn't noticed anything different about the hedgehog. But could there be any permanent side effects?

That line of thinking brought echoes of Tails' earlier uncertainty. Who gained nigh invincible super powers and remained unchanged? Could Sonic really stay the same Sonic? _His_ Sonic?

 _Not only that_ , Tails thought. _Was Sonic once again running off somewhere I can't follow?_

For years Tails had stayed behind the front lines, swaddled and safe back in Knothole while his friends risked their lives in the war against Robotnik. Now a little older with some training and experience, Tails had finally achieved his dream to fight at Sonic's side as an official Freedom Fighter. But now Sonic seemed more unreachable than ever. Would Tails always fall just short of enough? Always get left behind?

His tails twisted together slightly in agitation. Maybe it was just the mild shock talking - it wasn't every day one witnessed their best friend turn into an invincible, god-like being, after all - but Tails couldn't help feeling overwhelmed.

Movement from the subject of his thoughts made Tails jump slightly. He looked down to see that Sonic was shifting in his sleep, trying to find a position more accomodating of his quills. Now nestled more comfortably on his side and using the nook of his arm as a pillow, he began to snore lightly.

The sound was so normal, so familiar and endearing that Tails finally felt his worry dissipate. He blew out a relieved breath and smiled.

Yes, this was still the same old Sonic. Still the Sonic that Tails followed and admired and loved as fiercely and completely as a brother, no matter what color his eyes and fur turned or what unimaginable power he could effortlessly wield. And that Sonic would never leave him behind.

Mumbling from said hedgehog suddenly interrupted his thoughts.

"Jus...one more chili dog..."

Looking at each other, Tails and Rotor shared a laugh.

 _Definitely the same old Sonic._

The two of them settled in to watch over the hero as he enjoyed some much deserved rest.

* * *

Barrage of Notes:

When Super Sonic first appears in the Archie comic, Tails and the other Freedom Fighters don't seem to be surprised in any way, implying they'd seen him transform before. This was pretty much my exploration of how Tails' first encounter with Super Sonic went.

I feel like Tails would feel a little overwhelmed and upset because he still thinks he has to be like Sonic in order to make a difference; he still needs to learn that he has his own strengths and can help out in his own way.

Also, the Archie-verse used to have multitudes of Emeralds and they were all green, and Sonic had to physically grab enough of them along with fifty rings (which were literally stacked together on his arms, like bracelets) in order to turn Super. I tried my best to work with that.

I started out intending for this fic to fit into both the SatAM AND Archie universes, but wanting to use Super Sonic kinda threw a wrench in the plans (though with some mental gymnastics, SatAM might still work! Eheh). Anyway I hope it all works somehow and is maybe a little enjoyable.

GAH this was so long, I'm sorry! 'Till next time!


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